2025 Program WT by whaletales2023

Proud Legacy Sponsors of

KOHOLĀLEGACYSPONSORS

The Makana Aloha Foundation

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

PRESENTINGSPONSORS

Encore | Weis Family Trust

Lindblad Expeditions - National Geographic

BLUEWHALE/PREMIERSPONSORS

Brad & Sherry Eichhorst | Jeff Herbst & Marge Erwin

Jim & Cathy Maxwell | John & Melissa Meier

William Kronenberg III

HUMPBACKWHALE

Curtis and Julie Robb

GRAYWHALE

Anderman Family Foundation

David & Helen Jean Hamernick

Joan Greenfield and Karol Gardner

Timken-Sturgis Foundation

SPERMWHALE

Carolyn Schaefer

D. Joy Howell

Jackie & Rodney Lyons

Mark & Anita Udager

ORCAWHALE

Bob & Linda Caldwell

Brian Melzian

Florence Foundation

Robert Haskell

Eduardo Pena-Herrera

Fred Litt

Mark Lefkin

Nancy Fulkerson

Scott & Sandy Mubarak

Patrick & Pat Muffler

Donna & Dan Peterson

Tom and Barbara Wright

Rick Freedman

WHALEWATCHPARTNERS

Makai Adventure Cruises | Maui Pacific Divers

Dive Maui | Teralani Sailing Adventures | Pacific Whale Foundation

Trilogy Excursions | Ultimate Whale Watch | Hawaii Ocean Rafting

EVENTPARTNERS&IN-KINDSPONSORS

Adam Bailey of Critical Stories | Bryan Berkowitz Photography

Kai Aloha Supply | Hua Momona Farms | Kokua Suncare | Maui Print

Works | Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate| Mokoa Rental Car | Ocean Futures Society

FEATUREDARTISTPARTNER

Sherri Reeve Designs

KEIKIEVENTPARTNERS

Princess Nāhi’ena’ena Elementary School

Sacred Hearts School | Maui Preparatory Academy

Ocean Futures Society | Ellen van den Honert | Hawaiian Islands

Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary | Whale Trust

SPECIALTHANKSTO

Bryan Berkowitz | Jami Burks

Jean-Michel Cousteau | Nancy Marr

WHALETRUSTTEAM

WHALETRUSTBOARDOFDIRECTORS

PRESENTATION SCHEDULE DAY 1

SATURDAY,FEBRUARY15,2025

10:00am- Doors Open

10:00am– 5:00pm- Community Art Expo & Mauka to Makai Science Center

11:00am- Welcome & Blessing

11:20am- Ted Cheeseman, PhD Candidate

Curious Migratory Patterns among Hawaii’s Humpback Whales: What We’ve Learned from Over 13,000 Individuals in Hawaiian Waters and Beyond

12:00pm- Jim Darling, PhD, Whale Trust

Updates from the North Pacific Song Project

12:30pm- Lunch

1:30pm– Mauricio Cantor, PhD, Oregon State University

Safeguarding Cooperative Fishing Among Humans and Dolphins

2:10pm– Joelle De Weerdt, PhD, Association ELIS

What Have We Learned So Far about Humpback Whales Breeding in Nicaragua?

2:50pm– Break

3:00pm– Ralph Lee Hopkins, Ralph Lee Hopkins Photography Experiences with Whales from Pole to Pole

3:20pm– IMAX Film Screening: Blue Whales: Return of the Giants, with Hugh Pearson, Producer, Oceanic Films

5:00pm - Doors Close

PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

DAY 2

SUNDAY,FEBRUARY16,2025

11:00am- Doors Open

11:00am– 5:00pm- Community Art Expo & Mauka to Makai Science Center

1:00pm– Opening Remarks

1:10pm– Jean-Michel Cousteau, Ocean Futures Society

1:30pm - Ralph Pace, Ralph Pace Photography

Ocean Migrations: The Bigger Picture

1:50pm– John Ryan, PhD, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Hearing the Movements of Great Whales

2:30pm- Break

2:45pm- Gussie Hollers, PhD Candidate, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology

Counting Calories in the Ocean: How Humpback Whale Mothers and Calves Spend Their Energy

3:05pm– Daniel Sullivan, Daniel Sullivan Photography Koholā:An Aerial Perspective of the Pacific Whale Migration to Maui

3:35pm– Break

3:50pm– Ed Lyman, MSc & Maria Harvey, MSc, Hawaiian Islands

Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Freeing Entangled Whales in Hawaii: A Long and Broad Reach

5:00pm- Doors Close

7:00pm- Exclusive Film Screening of There is a Place on Earth with filmmaker Ellen van den Honert

BENEFIT WHALE WATCH SCHEDULE

FRIDAY,FEBRUARY14

11:50am-UltimateWhaleWatchwithDr.JimDarling SponsoredbyUltimateWhaleWatch,Ka’anapaliBeach

1:45pm-MakaiAdventureCruiseswithDrMauricioCantor SponsoredbyMakaiAdventureCruises,MalaWharfandRamp

4:15pm-VIPSunsetWhaleWatchwithSponsors&Presenters NetproceedsdonatedbyTrilogyExcursions,Ka’anapaliBeach

SATURDAY,FEBRUARY15

7:00am-MauiPacificDiverswithRalphLeeHopkins SponsoredbyMauiPacificDivers,Ma’alaeaHarbor

8:00am-Flip&FriendsWhaleWatch

FlipNicklin,RalphPace,HughPearson&EllenvandenHonert NetproceedsdonatedbyTrilogyExcursions,Ka’anapaliBeach

9:00am-BenefitWhaleWatchwithDr.JohnRyan&DiveMaui SponsoredbyDiveMaui,MeetatLahainaDiveShop

SUNDAY,FEBRUARY16

8:00am-TrilogyExcursionswithTedCheeseman NetproceedsdonatedbyTrilogyExcursions,Ka’anapaliBeach

MONDAY,FEBRUARY17

8:00am-TeralaniAdvenureCruiseswithEdLyman&MariaHarvey SponsoredbyTeralaniCharters,Ka’anapaliBeach

9:45am-MauiPacificDiverswithRalphPace

SponsoredbyMauiPacificDivers,Ma’alaeaHarbor

4:30pm-MauiPacificDiverswithDanielSullivan

SponsoredbyMauiPacificDivers,Ma’alaeaHarbor

Presenters

DANIELSULLIVAN

DanielSullivanPhotography

Maui-based photographer Daniel Sullivan has spent 20 years capturing aerial, big wave, and landscape imagery Recently, he has documented Lahaina’s wildfire recovery and community response Moving to Maui in 2004, he was drawn to its diverse landscapes and underwater ecosystems, inspiring his work In addition to photography, he mentors and teaches workshops, sharing his passion for capturing Maui’s natural beauty

EDLYMAN,MS

HawaiianIslandsHumpbackWhaleNationalMarineSanctuary Ed Lyman is the Natural Resource Specialist for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the Regional Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator for NOAA Fisheries With nearly 30 years of experience, he has worked across the U.S. and internationally to address whale entanglement threats Ed has participated in over 120 disentanglement efforts, helping free more than 70 marine animals

MARIAHARVEY,MS

HawaiianIslandsHumpbackWhaleNationalMarineSanctuary Maria, a University of Hawaii at Hilo graduate and longtime Big Island resident, now lives on Maui and works with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary alongside Ed Lyman With experience as a captain, naturalist, expedition guide, researcher, and level-4 disentanglement specialist, her work spans Hawaii, Alaska, and Cape Cod, studying dolphins, whales, turtles, and whale sharks.

ELLENVANDENHONERT

WildAboutMusicFoundation

Ellen van den Honert holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Amsterdam and has worked internationally as a music teacher, project manager, and entrepreneur As a songwriter and artist, she released the acclaimed albums Breath of the Soul (2006) and Hummingville (2010) In 2015, she founded the Wild About Music Foundation, which led to her first feature-length documentary, There Is A Place On Earth, exploring art’s role in wilderness conservation.

Presenters

GUSSIEHOLLERS,PHDCANDIDATE

MarineMammalResearchProgram,UniversityofHawaiʻiatMānoa Gussie’s love for science began while backpacking in North Carolina’s Black Mountains. She earned a B.A. in Biology from Amherst College in 2019 and an MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews in 2020, studying male sperm whale communication. Now a PhD student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, she researches humpback whale bioenergetics using biologging tags.

HUGHPEARSON

OceanicFilms

Hugh is an EMMY and BAFTA award-winning director who has spent three decades creating world-class films about ocean wildlife and conservation. He worked on BBC’s landmark series, including The Blue Planet and Africa, before directing episodes of Our Planet for Netflix. Most recently, he produced and directed the IMAX film Blue Whales –Return of the Giants. With a degree in Marine Biology, Hugh is passionate about sharing the wonders of the ocean with a global audience

JIMDARLING,PHD

WhaleTrust

Dr. Jim Darling has over 50 years of experience in whale research, including roles as Executive Director of the West Coast Whale Research Foundation and Director of the Pacific Wildlife Foundation He has written numerous scientific articles and books. Since 1997, his research on humpback whale songs has been based in Maui, with a focus on gray whale behavior in British Columbia and humpback whales across the North Pacific. He is a cofounder of Whale Trust

JOELLEDEWEERDT,PHD

AssociationELI-S

Dr. Joëlle De Weerdt, founder of Nicaragua’s cetacean conservation program with Association ELI-S, launched the country’s first effort to protect endangered humpback whales in 2016 An award-winning conservationist, she helped develop Nicaragua’s first whale watching law (2022) and has raised awareness among local communities Her work includes marine research, wildlife rescues, and ocean cleanups. Now a Visiting Scholar at UC Santa Cruz, she studies humpback whale migration and feeding using satellite tags.

Presenters

JEAN-MICHELCOUSTEAU

OceanFuturesSociety

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society inspires millions worldwide through documentaries, films, educational programs, and environmental campaigns. By collaborating with NGOs, corporations, and governments, they promote sustainable policies and action. Jean-Michel’s passion for conservation energizes communities, industries, and leaders to protect our planet.

JOHNRYAN,PHD

MontereyBayAquariumResearchInstitute

John Ryan earned his B S in biology from the University of Massachusetts in 1988 and a Ph D in biological oceanography from the University of Rhode Island in 1998. His research focused on phytoplankton ecology in the northwest Atlantic. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), John continued his work there, exploring ecosystem dynamics and marine life from plankton to whales

MAURICIOCANTOR,PHD

OregonStateUniversity

Mauricio is a behavioral ecologist focused on social, cultural, and ecological systems He holds a BSc in Biological Sciences and an MS in Ecology from Brazil, and a PhD in Biology from Canada, where he researched sperm whale cultural clans He is an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University, leading a research group on animal behavior and human dimensions, focusing on marine mammals to improve wildlife conservation and human welfare.

RALPHLEEHOPKINS

RalphLeeHopkinsPhotography

Ralph Lee Hopkins is a photographer with over 30 years of experience, affiliated with National Geographic, Lindblad Expeditions, and Natural Habitat Adventures. A geology graduate from Northern Arizona University, he specializes in landscape photography. He participated in the 1990 Colorado River Expedition and has published works on the Grand Canyon. Ralph leads workshops for National Geographic Expeditions and is an ambassador for OM Systems Cameras and SuperStockPhotos.

Presenters

RALPHPACE WHALETRUST

Ralph is an underwater and environmental photojournalist based in Monterey, California, with a graduate degree in Marine Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He helped stop a marina project threatening critical habitats by highlighting the economic value of a surfing wave Ralph simplifies scientific messages through imagery, working with organizations like National Geographic and Smithsonian In winter, he collaborates with Whale Trust on humpback whale research in Maui.

TEDCHEESEMAN,PHDCandidate Happywhale

Ted is the co-founder and director of Happywhale, a citizen science platform for tracking individual whales. He is currently finishing a PhD on North Pacific humpback whale populations, using AI to identify and track nearly every whale in the region. His study uncovered a major mortality event where a third of Hawaii’s humpback population was lost due to a marine heatwave. Ted is passionate about developing technology for research collaboration and communitybuilding around ocean ecosystems. Outside of his work, he enjoys surfing, hiking, and snowboarding

2025 Keiki Program

Sponsored by Makana Aloha Foundation, this year ’ s keiki event promises to be another memorable journey into the world of whales for 186 fourth and fifth graders from West Maui! This unique program begins with classroom visits led by Whale Trust educators and culminates in a three-hour field trip to Whale Tales led by scientists, artists, educators, and marine conservationists.

During Whale Tales, the students will embark on a learning adventure, rotating through five hands-on STEAM presentations that include:

Exploring whale anatomy through entering a life-sized inflatable whale and practicing whale disentanglement techniques with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Diving into the underwater world of humpback whale sounds and songs with Whale Trust’s, Haley Robb Spears. Learning how to become inspired ocean stewards with Jean-Michel Cousteau and Ocean Futures Society.

Joining Ellen van den Honert, musician, artist, and filmmaker to learn and practice how art can inspire environmental conservation.

10-day Galapagos Escape for 2

Visit the Pu’u Kukui

Watershed Preserve on Maui! VALUE: Priceless

Randy Puckett Bronze Sculpture

WHALE TRUST Alaska Photo Expedition

July 24th - 27th, 2025

JoincontributingNationalGeographicandWhaleTrust photographers,FlipNicklinandRalphPace,withlocalawardwinningnaturephotographerandhost,MarkKelley.Thisunique photoexpeditionislimitedtojust8participantsandwillprovideyou withanin-depthexperiencetolearnandexploresomeofthekey elementsofnaturephotographywithwhales,Alaskalandscapes,and otherwildlifeasyourmuse.

EmailEmmaatehearne@whaletrust.orgtolearnmore!

HUA MOMONA FARMS

Hua Momona Farms has been supplying Maui and Oahu with fresh, Organic Microgreens since 2019 from their elevated oasis in Kapalua on the western end of Maui. Our “Maui-Macro-Micros” offer unparalleled, long-lasting quality and highly nutritious greens making us the #1 Microgreen supplier on Maui.

Community Art Expo

Businesses that participate in the Community Art Expo donate 20% of sales to Whale Tales Mahalo nui!

TailsofStellwagen

Rebecca Krannichfeld

Art

Romano Artistry

Mauka to Makai Science Center

Mahalo to our local organizations for the important work you do!

KaiAlohaSupplyisproudtosupportWhaleTrust’sinitiatives andprogramsthatgivebacktoourland.

Fromourohanatoyours,aheartfeltmahaloforallthatyoudo!Welookforwardto buildingourpartnership. Andtoourcommunity,thankyouforshowingup.

Blue Whale Sponsors

Brad & Sherry Eichhorst

Jeff Herbst & Marge Erwin

Jim & Cathy Maxwell

John & Melissa Meier

William Kronenberg III

Mahalo nui!

Humpback whale sponsors

Curtis & Julie Robb

Gray Whale sponsors

Anderman Family Foundation

Helen Jean Hamernick

Joan Greenfield and Karol Gardner

Timken-Sturgis Foundation

Sperm whale sponsors

Carolyn Schaefer

D. Joy Howell

Jackie and Rodney Lyons

Mark & Anita Udager

Mahalo nui!

Orca whale sponsors

Bob Haskel

Dan and Donna Peterson

Eduardo Pena-Herrera

Fred Litt

Linda and Bob Caldwell

Rick Freedman

Brian Melzian

Florence Foundation

Nancy Fulkerson

Mark Lefkin

Patrick and Pat Muffler

Scott and Sandy Mubarak

Tom and Barbara Wright

Featured Artist Sherri Reeve

Sherri Reeve, born in 1963 in California, moved to Oahu at six, where her artistic journey began. Inspired by Hawaii's vibrant hues, she adorned her room with teal, pink, persimmon, and yellow –shades prevalent in her artwork today.

Self-taught,Reevehonedherskillswhileworkingingraphicdesign, hercreationsgracingpublicationsliketheNewYorkTimes. ReturningtoHawaiiin1989,shegainednationwiderecognition, herproductsreachingover2000storesstatewide.Establishingher galleryinMakawaoin1997,Reeve'sart,knownforitsaffordability anduniqueness,adornscollectionsworldwide.Withherfamily's support,Reeve'sstorethrives,blendingpersonaltouchwithonline accessibility.Today,sherelishesthejoyofcreation,engagingwith customersinherMauigalleryandonline,ensuringherartremains accessibleandenjoyableforall

Tolearnmoreaboutherworkvisitsreeve.comorvisithergalleryin Makawao!

ABOUT WHALE TALES

Each winter since 2006, world-renowned marine scientists, photographers, filmmakers, and conservationists join Whale Trust as a part of our annual community outreach and fundraising event, Whale Tales. Whale Tale’s purpose is to build collaborations and bring the latest in whale and dolphin research to a global audience All proceeds from Whale Tales support whale research and education in Hawai’i. In 17 years, Whale Tales has raised more than $1,200,000 for whale research, education, and conservation efforts and has reached thousands of individuals from around the world.

Whale Trust is a Maui-based non-profit organization whose mission is to conduct, support, and promote scientific research on whales and the marine environment. Our vision is a world that understands, appreciates, and protects the ocean planet we share.

Our founders are passionate scientists and explorers who believe that science - the quest for answers to the most intriguing questions about our natural world - lies at the heart of environmental education and conservation. Whale Trust’s research programs focus on exploring the natural communication, behavior patterns, and social organization of whales. Results from Whale Trust’s research serve as the foundation for a broader program of outreach and education that engages the public, educators, and a new generation of researchers whom Whale Trust hopes to inspire.